Actions Speak Louder Than Words
by pink striped
Summary: Lily always thought that she hated James Potter. However, during their final year at Hogwarts James seems to have changed and Lily realizes that her feelings for him have changed as well. ONE SHOT


Please note: I do not own any of these characters. They are all the creation of the inspirational J.K. Rowling.

This story takes place in September/October of Lily's and James' final year at Hogwarts.

**Actions Speak Louder Than Words**

The Gryffindor common room was filled that night, as usual, with most of the house's students. Their cheerful conversations reverberated off of the lofty ceiling and the richly coloured tapestries that adorned the stonewalls. The noise caused by this chatter was added to by the crackling flames in the imposing stone fireplace found on one side of the large circular room.

All of this noise was beginning to irritate a certain green eyed, red-haired girl sitting at one of the few tables scattered among the squashy armchairs and comfortable sofas. This young woman, Lily Evans, was trying very hard to concentrate on the last two inches of her potions essay and was now failing miserably due to the growing racket.

After several very unproductive minutes Lily gave up entirely on her assignment and crossed the common room to the growing cluster of students who were causing the disruption.

Pushing her way to the front of the group Lily was not surprised to find the Marauders, Hogwarts resident troublemakers, to be the cause of this disruption. The four friends were draped over some of the room's most comfortable seats and were intently watching the table in front of them.

On the table were two small figurines who had once represented famous Quidditch players, as was made quite clear by their flamboyant robes. Now however, their heads had been transfigured into those of Professor McGonagall and Professor Dumbledore, the latter of who was trying to induce his college to transfigure a certain part of him in a broom cupboard.

This suggestion caused the crowd to brake into hysterical laughter, in which the Marauders joined eagerly.

Shocked by the impertinence of this Marauder prank, and more than a little upset by the fact that she found it very amusing as well, Lily unleashed her fury on the four students who were responsible for it.

"How dare you? This is absolutely unacceptable! Those are two of the most highly respected members of the wizarding world. Peter stop giggling, this is not in the least bit funny. Black hand over those dolls immediately. Remus, you are a prefect can't you possibly control them? And Potter you are Head Boy. Do you have no idea about your responsibilities? Don't you care? Wipe that ridiculous grin off of you face before I wipe it off for you."

"Here you go", Sirius exclaimed cheerfully as he dumped the figurines in her bag, both of who were trying desperately to bite him due to the fact that he had just separated their intimate embrace. "You might want to keep them separate. They can get quite rowdy together. Unless you're into that sort of thing of course," he added with a devilish grin.

Lily simply glared at him and turning to the gathered group ordered them in her most authoritative voice to, "Find something else to do."

Without a backwards glace Lily began to cross the common room once again but was stopped short halfway by someone grabbing her arm and spinning her around. She turned to find James Potter staring at her with the same grin still stretched across his face.

"Get your filthy hands off of me," she yelled, pushing aside the hand that still lingered on her shoulder.

"Listen Lily about back there, we were just having some laughs," he explained nonchalantly with a hint of the arrogance that Lily so detested as he ran his hand through his already messy black hair.

"No Potter. You listen here. While you and your friends are goofing off I'm trying to work so that I can do something meaningful with my life. I'm doing something to help me become an auror or whatever else I have to become to fight against Voldermort. And do you know why? Because people are dying out there. People like me who are not a part of your elitist pure-blood race. So don't you try to get me to listen. You listen. Listen to what's going on in the world, then grow a pair and help out."

James stood still, his jaw slightly open and his face a mask of shock. When he tried to speak Lily cut him off.

"You know one day I thought you would change. I hoped you would lose your arrogance and sense of entitlement and become someone who even if I couldn't like I could respect. But I guess I was wrong. You'll always be the same selfish, childish git."

With that and one final glare Lily turned abruptly and returned to her work.

The order now restored to the common room Lily was once again able to concentrate and quickly finished her potions and transfiguration essays, with only minor interruptions from the occupants of her book bag who were attempting to engage in very passionate displays of affection.

As she worked on her charms homework Lily was yet again distracted, this time by someone clearing their throat loudly over her right shoulder

Casting a brief glance in that direction Lily was frustrated, and somewhat surprised, to find James Potter standing there watching her with a repentant expression.

Her earlier fury now dimed to simmering annoyance, Lily only scowled darkly at him before returning her attention to her homework.

"Hi", James said quietly.

After waiting several moments and receiving no response James tried again.

"What are you working on?"

Realizing that it would probably be easiest just to answer him Lily replied curtly, "Working on the essay about the Protean Charm, if you must know."

"I already finished that. It's such a useful spell, don't you think?"

Finally loosing her temper again Lily burst out, "What do you want? I'm really busy and really stressed and therefore don't have time to chat, especially with you, you slimy flobberworm."

Having decided that it would be best to get to the point before he was hexed James dropped his eyes to the floor and shoved his hands into his pocket as he attempted to apologise.

"I'm sorry about what happened earlier. We were just trying to cheer up Remus. It's getting closer to the full - , that is to say he's been feeling pretty down lately, and we wanted him to have a fun time."

Noticing that Lily wasn't speaking, whether out of aggravation or the fact that this was the first time he had ever apologized to her, James decided to press his luck and continue.

"I also want you to know that I have changed. You might not realise it but I have. Times like these make a person grow up. I learned that the hard way this summer. So well, I just wanted to let you know I'm different and I'll be working hard to make myself worthy of your respect."

His mission now complete James looked up carefully at Lily to see how she felt about these declarations. Although her temper seemed to have left, there was a new look of exhaustion that he hadn't noticed earlier, which resonated in her voice when she spoke.

"You know what Potter? Maybe deep, deep down you're different. But right now your actions are speaking louder than your words, and the two definitely don't agree. Now will you please leave me alone?"

Lily was pleased to see that he seemed to have given up and tried to ignore the sad ache in her heart as she saw the dejected expression he wore as her returned to his friends.

The hours went by slowly, but soon enough Lily found herself nearly alone in the common room. As her yawns became louder and more frequent Lily decided to take a short break from her schoolwork on one of the newly vacated sofas near the fireplace.

Lily snuggled deep into the sofa's squishy red cushion and listened to the various snippets of conversation passing between the room's few remaining occupants.

Frank Longbottom was whispering sweetly to his beaming girlfriend Alice Prewett, while Peter was trying to convince a thoroughly unenthusiastic Remus to dress up as a werewolf for the Halloween feast.

As her eyes finally closed Lily heard the voices of Potter and Black grow steadily louder until they stopped beside her.

"How do you think Evans would look with green hair?" asked Black conspiratorially to Lily's horror.

"I'm sure she would look beautiful. It would match her emerald eyes, but I'd have to say that I love her natural colour."

"You'd think she was beautiful if she had tentacles and fags, not that she's not hot or anything," Black backtracked obviously having noticed some kind of unhappy expression on Potter's face, "But seriously, no pun intended, Prongs come on! Wouldn't you love to see her reaction when she woke up?"

"No. Padfoot, I've spent enough time tormenting her to get a rise out of her. While it was fun to see her so angry and passionate now I just want to show her how much I care about her."

"You're a love sick fool," Sirius replied in apparent disgust, "Are you going to wait around for her forever? She loathes you. Why not play the field a bit? There's a lovely Ravenclaw blond who I think is just your type."

James voice took on an earnest quality Lily had never heard before.

"Sirius look. Lily's the one for me. The only one. And even if she never loves me, even if she never even likes me that will not change."

"But playing the field –"

"With wackoes like Voldermort running around who knows how much time we've got left? I want to spend whatever time I have left with her."

"You really are a love struck fool. You know what? Enough talk about Evans and your pathetic love life. What do you say we go raid the kitchens? I'm sure the house elves would love to see us again and I know that I would love to see them."

"Lead the way. Oh, and by the way her _name_ is Lily."

The two young men quickly left the tower leaving Lily wide awake and very confused. She lay on the couch in the common room, staring up at the dimly lit ceiling trying to process what she had just heard.

Potter – James she corrected herself – really liked her. Really, really liked her. As in practically thought of her as his soulmate kind of liked her. And he was willing to do whatever it took to prove it to her.

This idea was unsettling to say the least. After all she hated James Potter. Didn't she?

Suddenly her opinion of him seemed uncertain. Much of it had been made based on the idea that he simply tormented her at any opportunity for his own amusement, which apparently was no longer the case.

She quickly brought to mind his list of faults, reciting them effortlessly after her many vocal declarations of them. James Potter was rude, arrogant, cruel, had issues with entitlement, showed no respect for authority or rules … and yet …

James would do anything for his friends. He stood up for what he believed in. He fought _against_ evil people. He had stood up more than one occasion for her, someone who had always considered him an enemy. He respected and admired people like Dumbeldore, who in turn felt confident in placing their trust in him. He was smart and talented. Not to mention he had a handsome face and a body toned by Quidditch.

She thought about all the things she knew about James. From what others had said he had a lot of friends and was well liked by most of the school population. Many people saw him as a fair and honest Quidditch captain and a good Head Boy with huge leadership potential.

Had he really changed like he had suggested earlier? She pondered this question carefully for several minutes. Lily reflected on his recent passionate discussions with Remus on the need to stop Voldermort. She considered his newfound zeal for his schoolwork in all the subjects that mattered in the auror selection process. Lily even thought of the pranks he had been involved with this year, which had been very tame compared to the standards he and the Marauders had set in the past.

Lily knew that if she was truly honest with herself that maybe there was more to James than she really wanted to admit. But admitting that would mean examining why she seemed so opposed to him. He had certainly injured her pride, but it was more than that. It had to do with the fact that she fought with him any opportunity she got, the way her heart sometimes fluttered when he smiled, the way she couldn't seem to leave him alone despite her continual threats to the contrary and the way she soaked in the sight of his lean body defined by a wet shirt after being out in the rain.

Maybe she didn't hate James after all. Maybe she had just used that as a shield to protect her proud heart and hide herself from a truth that had been developing quietly throughout the past year. The truth that she f_ancied_ James Potter.

Lily's inner revelations were interrupted by the return of James and Sirius to the common room. Both noticed her still lying on the sofa, apparently asleep.

"Prongs, are you sure you don't want to colour her hair or enlarge her teeth while we've got the chance?"

"I'm sure. I'll see you in the dorm in a minute."

Sirius responded with a loud yawn and proceeded up the stairs.

Uncertain about what James intended to do Lily lay very still and suddenly wished she had a blanket as she noticed for the first time that the fire had nearly died out, leaving the room rather chilly.

Soft footsteps approached her and Lily felt something heavy being draped over her body, starting at her feet and quickly covering her up to her shoulders.

Gently, a hand travelled up her arm, leaving a tingling trail behind, to her cheek, which it caressed for a few moments.

All too soon the hand left her cheek and pushed her hair back from her face.

She felt a warm breath tickling her ear as James whispered softly, "Sleep well Lilly. I love you."

Suddenly, not caring about her own inhibitions or what any one else thought Lilly opened her eyes and looked up into the dark ones staring down at her in surprised. Having found the reassurance that she needed she slowly brought his lips down to meet hers in a kiss that couldn't have felt more right.

* * *

Thank you all for reading! I hope you enjoyed this story as much as I do.  
I'd like to thank my beta D0nQuix0te for not only editing this story but also for introducing me to the world of Fan Fiction. You are the best!  
This is my first Fan Fic so if you have any thoughts on this story I'd love to hear from you.


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